1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to theft deterrent systems as used to prevent unauthorized removal of consumer goods.
2. Background
Those involved in the distribution of consumer goods are constantly seeking ways to prevent unauthorized removal of goods from display areas. The expense of security systems and personnel used to limit losses due to theft is generally recovered by raising the price of the goods to the consumer. In today's highly competitive market, the successful retailer thus seeks security systems that are both economically practical and effective.
Electronic theft deterrent systems have proven to be highly successful over the years. However, the use of an electronic security system is not always feasible. Sometimes, the cost of the goods to be monitored does not justify the investment in such a system. For other types of goods, such as belts, the quantity of goods displayed is such that it would be impractical to monitor each item, as by the use of a sensor thereon.
Further, highly portable goods such as belts, small hand tools, eyeglasses and sunglasses, USB flash drives, camera memory cards and printer ink cartridges, which are small, lightweight and often relatively expensive, can be easily removed from a premise before the breach of security is detected, even when electronic systems are used. Many stores are set up with display stands for such goods in close proximity to an exit door. The thief is often able to remove the article, exit promptly from the store through the adjacent exit, and become lost in crowds as are common in metropolitan areas and shopping malls.
It is known to confine a quantity of discrete articles in bulk upon a display stand. However, when this type of system is used for relatively small, lightweight articles, the thief may be able to remove and make off with the entire quantity of articles, together with the display stand.
As a result of the above problems, many purveyors of small, discrete objects, such as hand tools in hardware stores, belts and sunglasses in apparel stores, rackets and the like in sporting goods stores, USB flash drives and the like in electronics stores, etc. choose to hang this type of good unsecured on a mounting wall. In many stores, pegboard is used in conjunction with a projecting arm to support a stack of such goods. For example, a number of printer cartridges are commonly seen in computer stores supported from a cantilevered arm on a vertical wall. In the case, of eyeglasses and sunglasses, such goods are often loosely displayed in either a rotating carousel or a wallmount display. In spite of the risk associated with these types of displays, many purveyors of goods such as the aforementioned have chosen to assume this risk rather than contend with the above problems.